AMC participates in joint deployment readiness exercise

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  • By 18 Air Force Public Affairs

Six Air Mobility Command units from bases across the United States teamed up with the Army’s 82nd Airborne Division for Emergency Deployment Readiness Exercise 19-01, from Nov. 27 to Dec. 2, 2018, in Kentucky and California.

 

Air Force C-17s and C-130s flew 14 missions to transport more than 1,300 joint personnel and 83 short tons of cargo across the U.S.

 

The aircraft came from Joint Base Charleston, South Carolina; Joint Base Lewis-McChord, Washington; Travis Air Force Base, California; Dover AFB, Delaware; Dyess AFB, Texas; and Little Rock AFB, Arkansas,

 

The purpose of EDRE was to validate the Air Force and Army’s ability to work together to deploy forces on short notice in response to an emergency call for combat forces, humanitarian relief, non-combatant evacuation operations, or other scenarios. In this case, the 82nd ABD had to quickly deploy and open an airfield allowing aircraft to land quickly after the Army secured it.

 

A key component to readiness, the EDRE demonstrated the Air Force’s ability to respond to a request for mobility support and to deploy forces in a matter of hours, anywhere in the world. A movement like this requires quick coordination by mission planners and the ability to execute airlift support readily.

 

“We helped scale the size of the exercise to what is in the realm of possible with aircraft availability,” said Maj. Gregory Gaudet, 18th Air Force Chief of Combat Operations. “We researched desired drop zone and landing-zone locations to ensure they are suitable for use and to narrow down the options. We then coordinated with those locations to ensure support could be provided and ensured coordination between the 618th Air Operations Center, AMC, 18th AF and the units.”

 

That coordination allows the Air Force to support joint force readiness and provides the opportunity for planners to learn and prepare for future operations.

 

“The unpredictability and short-notice nature of an exercise like this one provides the tactical mission planners with an excellent opportunity to prepare themselves for the flexibility that will be needed on the battle fields of tomorrow,” said Gaudet. “This, aligned with projected strength and partnership with sister services, assures joint force lethality for the future.”